Raised Bed Tomatoes

[Organic4Life]

I've been organic gardening (in the ground) for over 35-years, but want to try a raised bed with a good soil mix and see how it grows.

Thought I'd go with 50% compost (5 different kinds), 10% sphagnum peat moss, 20% coarse vermiculite and 20% quality topsoil.

I will add a quality organtic fertilizer to the mix also.

Anything else I should add?

Thanks for your help.

[live2garden]

Sounds like you have got a really good start, best of luck with your new adventure!

[Venomous_1]

Personally, I use a mixture of compost (at least 5 different if I don't have enough of my own made), peat and vermiculite in equal volumes, but your mix sounds like it would work very good as well.

Just my $0.02

Venom in TN

[Organic4Life]

If this were container's I would go that route, but I want a multitude of nutrients from as many different sources as I can get.

I've raised tomatoes in plain old organic soil for over 35-years, so I don't want to completely give up the soil and also the added benefits from additional compost.

I have a friend that grows tomatoes in 100% compost, and they produce more than any plants I've ever seen every year.

Thanks

[tedln]

Sounds great. I've grown tomatoes in raised beds and containers for many years. This is the first year I checked the ph on my beds and it was okay. After you get your soil mixed well in the beds, you might want to check the ph and adjust as needed with garden lime. Blossom end rot can be a problem in raised beds and if needed, the garden lime or other materials may help reduce or prevent it. Just a thought.

Many scientists now believe blossom end rot is not a result of insufficient calcium, but more a result of moisture stress. They may be correct, but I know the problem has stopped when I made more calcium available.

Ted

[cynthia_h]

Here's a thread on Blossom End Rot (BER). The BER mechanism is linked to calcium, but evidently the *presence* of calcium itself isn't the factor; it's the ability of the plant to utilize the calcium:

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=86031

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[Organic4Life]

I'm going to add lime in my mix... thanks